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Plates and plate carriers

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    Me in the AR500 Armor Testudo Plate Carrier setup and Blackhawk USMC SERPA leg rig with Beretta 92FS.

    tnE4lRx.jpg
     

    Murfpcola

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    I will give everybody something to piss on. I bought the cheapest carrier I could find which was from botach then cut some 5/16" plate at work and rolled it for contour. Then just for the heck of it I Osphoed the steel to kill te rust. Once I got te straps adjusted where I like them I put a couple stitches in each to keep them from moving. Total I have $39 in it. I shot a spare piece of plate up against a tree with my .40 and it did not even start to dent it. It would stop any pistol round but not rifles. It is only for bedside use so much better tan nothing.

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    Snake-Eyes

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    I will give everybody something to piss on. I bought the cheapest carrier I could find which was from botach then cut some 5/16" plate at work and rolled it for contour. Then just for the heck of it I Osphoed the steel to kill te rust. Once I got te straps adjusted where I like them I put a couple stitches in each to keep them from moving. Total I have $39 in it. I shot a spare piece of plate up against a tree with my .40 and it did not even start to dent it. It would stop any pistol round but not rifles. It is only for bedside use so much better tan nothing.

    View attachment 72197

    Can you make me a set?

    :)
     

    MauserLarry

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    I will give everybody something to piss on. I bought the cheapest carrier I could find which was from botach then cut some 5/16" plate at work and rolled it for contour. Then just for the heck of it I Osphoed the steel to kill te rust. Once I got te straps adjusted where I like them I put a couple stitches in each to keep them from moving. Total I have $39 in it. I shot a spare piece of plate up against a tree with my .40 and it did not even start to dent it. It would stop any pistol round but not rifles. It is only for bedside use so much better tan nothing.

    View attachment 72197

    I guess you used hot rolled steel plate or is that T1? Nice looking and the price is sure sweet.
     

    TK5o

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    How much was the carrier? Id be interested in the steel also
     

    Murfpcola

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    The steel is just regular hot rolled steel "A36". We happen to have a piece in the scrap pile. The boss would not be happy with me doing side work with his material:). I will get better pictures later. There are two padded bands that run vertically against your chest so the plates are about 3/4" off your chest.

    The carrier was $39 fromBotach with free shipping. I almost ordered one from AR500 but by the time I added sipping it was about $20 more than Botach if I remember correctly. It appears that there was a "buckle" missing on one side of the carrier that would have helped keep it in adjustment but my sewing the straps in place served my purpose. I will get pics of that later
     
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    FrommerStop

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    I will give everybody something to piss on. I bought the cheapest carrier I could find which was from botach then cut some 5/16" plate at work and rolled it for contour. Then just for the heck of it I Osphoed the steel to kill te rust. Once I got te straps adjusted where I like them I put a couple stitches in each to keep them from moving. Total I have $39 in it. I shot a spare piece of plate up against a tree with my .40 and it did not even start to dent it. It would stop any pistol round but not rifles. It is only for bedside use so much better tan nothing.

    View attachment 72197
    Be a good idea to employ some measure against spalling. Perhaps you can apply a coating meant for pickup truck beds that is something like the below. In the movie of the man with no name would have become the man with no face.

    Best-Body-Armor-Hero.jpg
     

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    FrommerStop

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    Just imagine the spall from a 44-40 lead 200 grain bullet at 1200 or so fps. You could weld a lip with some angle iron or bend the edge out to maybe stop/deflect some of it.
    For pistol ammo the common diamond stamp plate metal will stop common pistol slugs. Not sure what the heat of welding or cutting with a torch will do. There people in the area with water cutting tools that can cut steel without damaging the heat treat.

    Diamond plate I found easily stops 9x19 luger. A 7.62x25 with hardened steel core started to go through, but was stopped (I use the last of ammo yrs ago) means it should good for everything up to .40 and .45 1911 auto . It would dent I think, but will likely stop most .357 mag and .44 mag factory ammo too.
    I would go buy the real thing. AR500 plates with anti-spall covering are not so expensive and what is your life worth.

     

    Murfpcola

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    https://gun.deals/product/battle-steel-ballistic-plate-carrier-3995

    This is the link to the plate carrier I bought. It may not hold up if you used it for work but should work fine to it under my bed. Like I said, it is way better than nothing. One thing I did learn is you don't just throw these things on like a pullover. That will cause a headache or could possibly knock you out:)

    In my pic you can see the two padded bands that keep the plates off you chest a bit. I also have some extra padding built in to my body. You can see the "buckle that is missing also. I did not bother to contact the seller and inquire about it. Also pictured is my Speedy Stitcher that I used to put a few stitches in the straps to keep them adjusted
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    Murfpcola

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    Here is a picture showing the contour I put in the plate. I rolled the front a little more than the back

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    wildrider666

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    There are a couple of Standards potential buyers/users should be aware of. NIJ sets standards for LE. Civ gear may use the NIJ Standards but I see "Levels" of protection are not NIJ listed. That should raise questions. U.S. Mil gear is tested to Army Mil Std 662F with various design standards provided by the Service Branchs. Foreign LE/MIL surplus can fall under dozens of individual specs. Body armour deteriorates with age, exposure to light, chemicals and water. Experation Dates are base on best case condition and that is the take out of Service Date. Yourbetting the Bank if your trustng you life on "surplus" or expired gear. I wouldn't trust my life to any materials or end product from China including brand new.

    My last point is the guy(s) robbing your house would want free hands so a handgun or knife is likely not a AK 47 (unless they got bad info and think their ripping off a major drug dealer).

    The NIJ Ballistic and Stab Vest Rating, testing and more.

    https://www.nij.gov/topics/technology/body-armor/pages/standards.aspx

    The New NIJ Standard is due in April 2019. Link below is Draft PDF File.

    https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw1lWfh0X5HKpTUeSxXT-2qJ
     

    FrommerStop

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    There are a couple of Standards potential buyers/users should be aware of. NIJ sets standards for LE. Civ gear may use the NIJ Standards but I see "Levels" of protection are not NIJ listed. That should raise questions. U.S. Mil gear is tested to Army Mil Std 662F with various design standards provided by the Service Branchs. Foreign LE/MIL surplus can fall under dozens of individual specs. Body armour deteriorates with age, exposure to light, chemicals and water. Experation Dates are base on best case condition and that is the take out of Service Date. Yourbetting the Bank if your trustng you life on "surplus" or expired gear. I wouldn't trust my life to any materials or end product from China including brand new.

    My last point is the guy(s) robbing your house would want free hands so a handgun or knife is likely not a AK 47 (unless they got bad info and think their ripping off a major drug dealer).

    The NIJ Ballistic and Stab Vest Rating, testing and more.

    https://www.nij.gov/topics/technology/body-armor/pages/standards.aspx

    The New NIJ Standard is due in April 2019. Link below is Draft PDF File.

    https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjAAegQIAhAB&usg=AOvVaw1lWfh0X5HKpTUeSxXT-2qJ

    Hard to say for people doing home invasions, that is they rob occupied residence as to what they are carrying. But I concur they are more likely to be using hand weapons than shoulder arms.
    Nice thing about steel versus ceramic and Kevlar is that it deteriorates less and lasts longer.
     
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